Graphical user interface to facilitate routing of a physical connection in a hierarchical integrated circuit design

Abstract

Systems and techniques are described for transparently editing physical data in hierarchical IC designs. Some embodiments allow a user to access objects at any level of the physical hierarchy and to specify a particular editing operation (move, rotate, delete, cut, split, etc.) relative to the top-level block. The embodiments can automatically transform and apply the editing operations in the context of the block where the edited object resides. Systems and techniques for automatic context selection, logical connection analysis, cross hierarchical routing, transparent hierarchical routing, and maintaining physical connectivity across hierarchy boundaries are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method to facilitate routing of a physical connection, the method comprising:
 displaying a physical layout of a circuit design in a graphical user interface (GUI); 
 receiving a location in the GUI that specifies an end of a partial route of a connection from a first object to a second object in the circuit design; 
 determining a suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on a current physical hierarchy context; and 
 displaying a visual indicator in the GUI that specifies the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a first selection of a pin of a block in the physical layout of the circuit design; 
 presenting, by using the GUI, multiple physical hierarchy contexts associated with the pin; and 
 receiving a second selection of the current physical hierarchy context from the multiple physical hierarchy contexts. 
 
     
     
       3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the multiple physical hierarchy contexts include (1) an internal physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects inside the block are made, and (2) an external physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects outside the block are made. 
     
     
       4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein determining the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on the current physical hierarchy context comprises determining an unconnected pin in the current physical hierarchy context that is nearest to the location in the physical layout. 
     
     
       5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the location in the GUI comprises receiving a current location of a cursor in the GUI. 
     
     
       6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the visual indicator in the GUI comprises displaying a line from the location to the suggested destination. 
     
     
       7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the connection from the first object to the second object in the circuit design passes through at least one physical hierarchy boundary. 
     
     
       8. A method to facilitate routing of a physical connection, the method comprising:
 displaying a physical layout of a circuit design in a graphical user interface (GUI); 
 receiving a location in the GUI that specifies an end of a partial route of a connection from a first object to a second object in the circuit design; 
 determining a suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on a current physical hierarchy context; and 
 displaying a visual indicator in the GUI that specifies the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a first selection of a pin of a block in the physical layout of the circuit design; 
 presenting, by using the GUI, multiple physical hierarchy contexts associated with the pin; and 
 receiving a second selection of the current physical hierarchy context from the multiple physical hierarchy contexts. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the multiple physical hierarchy contexts include (1) an internal physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects inside the block are made, and (2) an external physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects outside the block are made. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on the current physical hierarchy context comprises determining an unconnected pin in the current physical hierarchy context that is nearest to the location in the physical layout. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving the location in the GUI comprises receiving a current location of a cursor in the GUI. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein displaying the visual indicator in the GUI comprises displaying a line from the location to the suggested destination. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the connection from the first object to the second object in the circuit design passes through at least one physical hierarchy boundary. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform a method to facilitate routing of a physical connection, the method comprising:
 displaying a physical layout of a circuit design in a graphical user interface (GUI); 
 receiving a location in the GUI that specifies an end of a partial route of a connection from a first object to a second object in the circuit design; 
 determining a suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on a current physical hierarchy context; and 
 displaying a visual indicator in the GUI that specifies the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a first selection of a pin of a block in the physical layout of the circuit design; 
 presenting, by using the GUI, multiple physical hierarchy contexts associated with the pin; and 
 receiving a second selection of the current physical hierarchy context from the multiple physical hierarchy contexts. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the multiple physical hierarchy contexts include (1) an internal physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects inside the block are made, and (2) an external physical hierarchy context in which connections between the pin and circuit objects outside the block are made. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein determining the suggested destination to extend the partial route of the connection based on the current physical hierarchy context comprises determining an unconnected pin in the current physical hierarchy context that is nearest to the location in the physical layout. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein receiving the location in the GUI comprises receiving a current location of a cursor in the GUI. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein displaying the visual indicator in the GUI comprises displaying a line from the location to the suggested destination.